Moderate Exercise may Help HCM Patients

U.S., March 20 -- According to a new study by a team of researchers from the University of Michigan, people suffering from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or HCM, should do moderate exercise regularly.
For the study, the researchers selected 136 patients aged between 18 and 80 and were suffering from HCM. The researchers asked some of the participants to do moderate exercise regularly, which included moderate walking, using an elliptical, jogging or biking, and working out at least three times a week for 20 minutes. There was no interval or weight training in the study. Others did normal activities.
The findings of the study revealed that the patients who did moderate exercise showed a statistically significant increase in peak oxygen consumption over 16 weeks as compared to the participants who did normal activities.
HCM takes place when the heart muscles become abnormally thick, thereby making it difficult for the heart to pump blood.
The findings of the study were presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session.